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Road accidents claim three lives
Collapsed overbridge near JN Stadium not to be reconstructed
Worker perishes in Gandhi Nagar factory fire
Disruption in CNG supply hits Noidaites hard
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Court for harsh punishment for drunk drivers
Notice to AIIMS on plea for scrapping entrance
RWAs oppose power tariff hike
Compulsory retirement does not apply to unaided schools: HC
A warm Sunday
Two held for murder
Fire in sports shop
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Road accidents claim three lives
New Delhi, February 5 "The man, in his mid-thirties, was hit by an unidentified speeding vehicle on Shahjahan Road around 12.55 am. The driver of the vehicle fled the spot after the accident," a police official said. After receiving the information, the police rushed to the spot, but the victim died before he could be taken to hospital. "His body was later sent to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for postmortem. It will be kept in the hospital for the next 72 hours in an effort to let his family identify him," the official added. A case has been registered at the Tilak Marg police station. "A crime and forensic team has also visited the spot," the official added. The second incident was reported from the Delhi Cantonment area of southwest Delhi last evening. Gulshan, 18, a resident of Moti Bagh, was killed when a private bus hit his bike from behind near Rao Tula Ram Marg around 7 pm. "Gulshan was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. He had received head injuries," another police official said. The police has arrested the driver of the bus, Purbhat. He faces charges of causing death by rash and negligent driving. In another accident, a 32-year-old motorcyclist died when his vehicle was hit in the Kotla Mubarakpur area of south Delhi on Sunday morning. The deceased has been identified as Manbir Singh Pundir, a resident of New Ashok Nagar. "We had received a call at the police control room around 8 am, saying that an accident victim was lying unconscious on the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) flyover in front of Kidwai Nagar East," another police official said. The police rushed Manbir to AIIMS Trauma Centre where he was declared brought dead. A case has been register against unknown person at Kotla Mubarakpur police station. |
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Collapsed overbridge near JN Stadium not to be reconstructed
New Delhi, February 5 It took 18 months for the state government to decide the fate of the overbridge. Realising the non-utility of the bridge, the government at last decide not to re-built it. Earlier, the public works department (PWD) had said that the foot-overbridge would come at the same spot and the contractor would have to bear the cost of rebuilding the bridge without charging any extra money. But now, according to PWD officials, the contractor will have to compensate by constructing a similar bridge at some other location, which is yet to be decided. The 95 m-long under-construction foot overbridge had come down crashing on September 21, 2010, injuring 27 people and causing a major embarrassment to the country in the run-up to the mega sporting event. The Army had later built a temporary bailey bridge, which was removed after the Games. "We are not going to reconstruct the foot overbridge as a bus stop is likely to come up near the site of the collapsed bridge," said a senior Delhi government official. The official said the alternative bridge would be constructed at a site adjacent to the collapsed bridge. "The government had decided to allot space at the Sunehari Nullah bus parking, adjacent to the site of the collapsed overbridge, for buses under cluster service and therefore, a bus stop has been proposed to be constructed there for the convenience of the commuters of the locality," said the official. The over Rs 5-crore overbridge project was contracted to private firm P&R Infraprojects Ltd by the PWD. The company was blacklisted by the city government after the incident. An inquiry panel, which had probed the collapse of the overbridge, had blamed the faulty construction methodology adopted by the contractor and had held the PWD responsible for supervisory failure. The panel had blamed the PWD for supervisory failures while it had held P&R Infraprojects Ltd for carrying out the project in a great hurry. The report of the panel, headed by former CPWD director general HS Dogra, was referred to union urban development ministry for appropriate action. It was referred to the ministry as the engineers who had supervised the project were from the CPWD and had come to the Delhi government on deputation. The CPWD functions under the union ministry. |
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Worker perishes in Gandhi Nagar factory fire
New Delhi, February 5 We then informed the fire department and over two dozen fire tenders were rushed to the spot," a police official said, adding that it took the fire department around two hours to douse the blaze. Police officials said that the victim has been identified as Chotturam, 18, who hails from Bihar and worked at the factory in Kailash Nagar, which manufactures seat covers for vehicles. Chotturam along with a co-worker Deepu, 20, who hails from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, were sleeping inside the factory when the fire broke out. Both of them were rushed to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Shahdara, where the doctors declared Chotturam brought dead. "Deepu is recuperating at the hospital," the official added. Although the reason behind the fire is not known yet, the police is probing a sabotage angle and has registered a case at Gandhi Nagar police station. "A short circuit may have led to the fire, but we are probing all the angles. The factory owner has been identified as Sanjay Kumar Srivastav," the official said. The fire also spread to an adjacent building owned by Rajan Srivastav. He claims that goods worth several lakhs, meant for his daughter's wedding on February 14, were destroyed in the fire. |
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Disruption in CNG supply hits Noidaites hard
Noida, February 5 The IGL took a planned shutdown for 24 hours till early morning on Monday to hook the newly laid steel pipeline with the existing steel network. "I went to Mayur Vihar to get the CNG," said Harjeet Singh, resident of sector 32. The CNG mother station of IGL located in Sector 53 and dispensing points at petrol pumps located in Sector 62 and 63 were disconnected from the main line, affecting the supply to the city. It was also hit in CNG stations located in depots of UPSRTC and DTC in Noida. Besides, the supply of natural gas to 21 industrial units and 18 commercial establishments was affected in Noida. "The shutdown was scheduled on Sunday so as to minimise the inconvenience," said Amandeep Singh, spokesperson, IGL. However, the supply of PNG to the domestic kitchens in Noida was not affected as the IGL had made alternative arrangement through mobile vehicles and pressure reduction units. The supply of CNG also remained unaffected in all the stations located in Delhi, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. |
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Court for harsh punishment for drunk drivers
New Delhi, February 5 The sessions court's observations came while upholding the 10-day jail term awarded to a man, who was caught driving his vehicle in an inebriated condition. "Until and unless the judicial courts rise to the occasion and as per intent of our Parliament, start handing over harsher sentences to convicts of drunken driving, it would not be possible for the Delhi traffic police alone to single handedly contain the menace of drunken driving," additional sessions judge (ASJ) SS Rathi said. The court, while refusing to show leniency to convict Dinesh Kumar, a south Delhi resident, said the Supreme Court had also ruled that a fatal accident by a drunken driver invoked jail term up to 10 years. "Owing to increasing instances of drunken driving and fatal accidents even the Supreme Court has ruled that a fatal accident by a drunken driver invokes offence under Section 304 Part II (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC punishable with up to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and not Section 304A of the IPC," the judge said. Kumar had approached the sessions court challenging the order of a magistrate, who had awarded him 10 days of jail sentence along with a fine of Rs 2,000. He was caught driving his car in an inebriated state in central Delhi area on January 1, 2012. The convict, however, had pleaded guilty before the magistrate. The court said though the 10-day jail term deserved to be enhanced, this couldn't be done as the state had not appealed against the order of the magistrate to increase the sentence. Kumar's counsel said the order of magisterial court on the sentence was on the harsher side and that the convict deserved to have been let off with only fine. While dismissing Kumar's appeal, the court said, "It goes without saying that roads of Delhi are one of the most dangerous stretches ever known. Courtesy people like convict (Kumar) who have worked tirelessly to help Delhi roads gain this notoriety". The judge said as undue leniency on drunken driving is being shown by the magisterial courts, this offence had become a menace in the city. "In Delhi, either a drunken driver is not caught and if caught they try every measure known in the world to avoid getting challaned. Still, even if challaned they try to get off with a trivial fine. Even if a magistrate endeavours to announce a jail term, every effort is made by the convict in the appellate court to escape the jail term."
— PTI |
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‘Walk for Life’ to fight cancer
New Delhi, February 5 Addressing the participants, Kaur said that she felt obligated to the social groups who help the poor fight cancer. "My heart goes out to the poor who cannot afford the treatment, but many NGOs like Cancer Board and Cancer Society are doing good work to help poor people," said Kaur. The rally was organised by 'Can Support', a non-government organization working in the areas of providing palliative care to the cancer patients and runs one of the largest homecare programmes for them across India. This includes provision of all kinds of assistance to the disadvantaged sections who cannot bear the cost of treatment, especially poor women who are suffering from the disease. A large number of people from all walks of life, including filmmaker Mira Nair, founder and chairman of Max India, Analjit Singh, chief creative officer of India Today Group, Kalli Purie, former US ambassador's wife, Jeannie Mulford and many others joined the rally in order to support the cause. "We are campaigning to make every person of the city aware that cancer will be cured one day and the hope should not be lost. We call this a 'rally of hope'. We want to give a message to the entire city, the nation and the world that one day we will find a cure for cancer," said one of the members of 'Can Support'. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, country's apex biomedical research body, cancer is spreading at an alarming rate in India and currently more than 2,500 people are suffering from this deadly disease. Thousands of people are diagnosed with some form of cancer every year and it is an extremely challenging task to save their lives. |
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Notice to AIIMS on plea for scrapping entrance
New Delhi, February 5 Justice Hima Kohli asked AIIMS to file within a week the records pertaining to the examination at all 156 centres where entrance tests were held on January 8. The court direction came on a petition by a group of PG candidates, who alleged that the incidents of cheating and copying, reported from various centres including Noida, was the part of a widespread scam. Seeking a court order for a thorough probe into the alleged scam, the students said the AIIMS, which conducts All India Post-Graduate Medical Entrance Examination, should cancel the January 8 examination and hold it afresh. In their plea, the students said the central government should come out with a mechanism to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future. The counsel for AIIMS informed Justice Kohli that an incident of cheating took place only at the Noida centre and three candidates were found in possession of some electronic gadgets. The investigation has been handed over to the crime branch of the Delhi police, the lawyer said, adding that the examinations in all other 155 centres were held peacefully. Further hearing will be held on February 10.
— PTI |
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RWAs oppose power tariff hike
New Delhi, February 5 The members of the RWA said that the DERC was going by fudged representations made by discoms till date. All suggestions represented by the RWAs and consumers were being ignored. "We strongly oppose fresh move by the DERC allowing provisional 5 per cent fuel price adjustment (FPA) surcharge on plea made by discoms in capital," said Rajiv Kakria, president, RWA, Greater Kailash. "The DERC which has been set up to look into and regulate the problems and complaints of consumers in league with the Delhi government seems to be working full time for benefit of private discoms. On slight pretext and representation, the DERC increases the power tariff on the basis of farce papers and reports submitted by discoms," he said. And similarly, the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, steps in to fully endorse the hike, said Anil Bajpai, president, RWA Federation, east Delhi. He said that the objections and suggestions submitted by the RWAs against tariff hike with documentary proof and genuine suggestions to the DERC went unheard. Most of the objections filed by the RWAs remain unanswered by the DERC and the power companies. "The mandate of regulatory body is to look into consumer interest. The DERC is the only body which is taking care of the discoms," said Bajpai. Leveling allegation on the Chief Minister, the members said that the state government was a mute spectator and more interested in representing and protecting the interests of the private power distribution companies than common man," said Muzibur Rahman, president, Jama Masjid Aman Committee of the Walled City. The RWAs have been opposing the earlier power tariff hike till the full CAG audit is done of the accounts of the discoms. The government by raising prices of everyday commodities and utilities is depriving people of their right to live. The earlier raise in the prices of power has affected everyone, said Sandeep Vij of GH 14 RWA, Paschim Vihar. The members said that the power privatisation model in Delhi is flawed, corrupted and designed to profit private companies. "Residents are being forced to pay due to wrong policies of the government and fudged accounts shown by the discoms . The government should increase the power tariff in the VIP NDMC area first and bring it to par with the rest of capital before raising the tariff in other parts of the capital," said Manmohan Mehra of Kiran Vihar, RWA. |
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On 50th anniversary, IPTA remembers Ghalib
New Delhi, February 5 Every year the IPTA comes up with new productions. This year "Aetraaf-E-Ghalib" will be performed at different venues across Delhi for a week as a tribute to Mirza Ghalib on his death anniversary. "The play on Ghalib - is a period, musical play. A gargantuan exercise brings alive the era in a dramatic rendering with complete nuances of theatre. Costumes, music, make-up, sets, lighting, special effects and a mammoth cast of over 45 characters and crew recreate the majesty of the period," said Aziz Qureshi, director of the play and general secretary of IPTA. Versatile sportsman, actor, writer, director and producer Aziz Quraishi has taught in Delhi University for 30 years. Now, he is working as HoD of NRI Facilitation Bureau and Ex. officio secretary, NRI affairs, Punjab government, in Punjab Bhawan, New Delhi. "The IPTA Delhi started much later than Kolkata and Mumbai. A dedicated group of creative and financial contributors helped it survive through the decades," said Qureshi. IPTA Delhi has performed more than 100 plays with over 3,000 shows across India in the past 50 years. In its crusade to promote theatre, all shows have been open houses with no government aid. The IPTA started functioning in 1943. The Delhi chapter came into being in 1958 in IPTA's eighth national conference. The IPTA has given several Delhi-based actors a toehold in Mumbai. Actors like Pankaj Kapoor, Raj Babbar and Om Puri have had a stint with the Delhi wing before acting in Bollywood films. Others who are the valued associates of the IPTA include Amar Shaikh, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Utpal Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak, Shanti Bardhan, Krishanchander, Balraj Sahni and Mohan Segal. The intended shows for "Aetraaf-E-Ghalib" are: On February 10, in Shankar Lal Hall, Delhi University at 6 pm, on February 13 in Zakir Husain Delhi College at 11 am and Zakir Husain Delhi College at 3 pm, on February 14 in India Islamic Cultural Centre at 6 pm, on February 15 in Azad Bhavan, ICCR at 6 pm, on March 3 in Kala Kunj Auditorium, Kolkata at 6 pm. |
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Compulsory retirement does not apply to unaided schools: HC
New Delhi, February 5 A bench of Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Pratibha Rani gave the ruling while quashing the verdict of a single-judge bench, which had earlier upheld the decision of a Delhi school to compulsorily retire one of its teachers, shortly after she (the teacher) turned 50. The school had forced her to retire applying Fundamental Rule 56(j), meant for compulsory retirement of Central government employees in public interest before his or her age of superannuation, but after 50. "Fundamental Rules cannot be held applicable to the teachers of an unaided recognised private school," the bench said. "The court cannot permit the invocation of the provisions of FR 56(j) to a teacher of an unaided recognised private school," it added, while also asking the school to pay her salary and other benefits, which she had lost due to her forcible retirement. "Courts are empowered to enforce the law as it stands and not the law what the courts may think it should be," the court said setting aside its single-judge bench order. The court order came on the plea by Leela Sharma, who taught Hindi in an unaided recognised private school since 1988 but was forced to retire in 2002. Her ouster was upheld by the court's single-judge bench and she had come to the division bench in an appeal. In her appeal, Sharma had contended that the Fundamental Rule 56 (j), providing for compulsory retirement of a Central government employee in public interest, cannot be invoked by a private, unaided school under the Delhi School Education Act 1973 or the Rules framed there under. Dwelling upon various criteria for applicability of FR to an employee, the bench said, "FR 2 provides that fundamental rules apply to all government servants whose pay is debatable to civil estimates and to any other class of government servants to which the President may by general or special order declare FR applicable to them." "Undeniably, the teachers of an unaided recognised private school are neither government servants nor their pay is debatable to civil estimates. They are also not the employees for whom the President, by any general or special order, has declared the Fundamental Rules applicable," it added.
— PTI |
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A warm Sunday
New Delhi, February 5 Yesterday, the national capital recorded 10.1 and 24 degrees Celsius
as the minimum and maximum temperatures, respectively, he said. The weatherman predicted that the temperatures would rise slowly and there was no chance of rain. “The maximum and minimum humidity
was recorded at 88 and 37 per cent, respectively and the sky would remain clear,” he said. — PTI |
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Two held for murder
New Delhi, February 5 The murder was reported when a body was found in a vacant room at Nehru Nagar, Anand Parbat, on February 3. "There were marks of injury on the head and an iron pot was lying near the body with burnt ashes of wood and rubber. The face and chest were also partially burnt," said Chandra. The deceased was identified as Anil, a resident of Jhuggi Gulshan Chowk, Anand Parbat, by his brother Sunil. Sunil said that Anil was in close company of Bhola, Madan Mohan and Ajay Pandit. "Traps were laid and Bhola was arrested on a tip-off and on his disclosure, subsequently, Madan was also arrested. Anil often visited Ajay's house in his absence and developed close intimacy with his wife Kalpna (name changed). Once, Ajay found Anil and his wife in compromising position. He conspired to kill Anil with Madan and Bhola. They had drinks on February 2 and when Anil became under influence of alcohol, Bhola hit Anil with an iron rod. Madan and Ajay disfigured his identity by burning his face and hand. |
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Fire in sports shop
New Delhi, February 5 "Four fire tenders were pressed into service. Nobody was injured," an official said. The fire was reported from Nagpal Sports, shop number 184 around 10.50 am. The fire department officials suspected short circuit to be the reason behind the incident. Lalit Mohan, SHO of Sarojini Nagar police station, said that the blaze was first noticed by the workers of the shop. |
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